TL;DR: There is no single, statutory minimum credit score for a UK mortgage. Each lender sets its own internal credit scoring model and threshold, and the score you see on Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion is not the score the lender uses. As a practical guide for the major UK credit reference agencies: a "good" Experian score is 881 or above (out of 999), Equifax 670 or above (out of 700 on the consumer score), TransUnion 604 or above (out of 710). Mainstream lenders typically want a clean credit file with no recent defaults, CCJs, or missed payments rather than a specific number. Adverse credit lenders work with much lower scores at higher rates.
Last reviewed May 2026
"What credit score do I need for a mortgage?" is one of the most-searched mortgage questions in the UK, and one of the most frequently answered wrongly. The plain answer is that no UK lender uses the Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion consumer score as a hard cutoff. Each lender runs its own internal scoring against its own criteria, and a borrower's chance of approval depends on the underlying credit history far more than on the headline number.
This guide explains how mortgage credit scoring actually works in the UK, what the major consumer credit reference agencies' scores mean (and do not mean), the credit-history factors that drive lender decisions, the typical thresholds where mainstream borrowing becomes easier or harder, and what an applicant with a less-than-perfect credit file can do.
Why there is no single minimum credit score
The UK has three main credit reference agencies: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Each produces a consumer-facing score with its own scale (Experian 0 to 999, Equifax 0 to 700 on the new consumer score, TransUnion 0 to 710). The same individual will have a different score at each agency because each agency uses a different model and different data sources.
Lenders do not buy the consumer-facing score from the agency and use it directly. They buy the underlying credit data (the credit file itself: accounts, balances, payment history, public information, electoral roll status) and run their own internal scorecard against it. Each lender's scorecard is built on its own historic performance data: a lender that has lost money on a certain customer profile in the past will score that profile lower.
The result is that the same applicant can be accepted by Lender A and declined by Lender B with no change in their underlying credit file. This is not a defect in the system; it reflects each lender's different risk appetite and product mix. A mortgage broker's value is partly in knowing which lender's scorecard fits a given applicant.
What the major consumer scores actually mean
Experian's UK consumer score runs from 0 to 999. Experian's published bands are: 0 to 560 "very poor", 561 to 720 "poor", 721 to 880 "fair", 881 to 960 "good", 961 to 999 "excellent". Most mainstream prime mortgage applicants are at "good" or above. "Fair" is workable but may narrow lender choice.
Equifax's UK consumer score (the most recent format) runs 0 to 700. The published bands are: 0 to 438 "poor", 439 to 530 "fair", 531 to 670 "good", 671 to 700 "excellent". Equifax data is widely used by lenders, and the underlying file is more relevant to the application than the consumer score band.
TransUnion's UK score runs 0 to 710. The published bands are roughly: 0 to 565 "very poor", 566 to 603 "poor", 604 to 627 "fair", 628 to 654 "good", 655 to 710 "excellent". TransUnion is the smallest of the three by UK lender coverage but is still widely used.
The practical takeaway is that "good" on any of the three scales correlates loosely with a clean credit file: paid accounts in good standing, no recent defaults, no CCJs, electoral roll registered, and no recent hard searches.
What lenders actually care about on the credit file
Payment history on existing credit is the single biggest driver. Missed payments on a credit card, a personal loan, a store card, or a mortgage in the past 24 months are visible on the credit file and reduce mortgage chances materially. The closer the missed payment is to the application, the more it hurts.
Defaults and County Court Judgments are the most damaging. A default registered against an account stays on the credit file for 6 years from the default date. A CCJ stays for 6 years from the judgment date (and is removed once paid in full within 1 month, otherwise satisfied CCJs are still visible for the rest of the 6 years). Many mainstream lenders will not lend to applicants with a default or CCJ in the past 3 years; some require 6 years clean.
Credit utilisation (the proportion of available credit used) is a secondary factor. Sitting at 90 percent or more of credit card limits is a negative signal even if all payments are made on time. Lenders prefer to see balances below 30 percent of the limit.
Recent hard searches reduce the score temporarily. Multiple credit applications in a short period suggest financial pressure, even where they were rate shopping for the same product. Soft searches (which the borrower sees on their file but lenders do not use) do not affect the score.
Electoral roll registration helps because it confirms the address. An applicant not registered to vote at the current address is harder for the lender to verify and may score lower on the lender's identity-confidence component.
The practical credit-score landscape for mortgage borrowing
At the top end (Experian 961+, Equifax 671+, TransUnion 655+), the borrower has access to the full range of high-street lenders and the best-priced products. The application is processed quickly and the rate is the lowest available for the loan-to-value and term.
At "good" (Experian 881 to 960, Equifax 531 to 670, TransUnion 628 to 654), most mainstream lenders are accessible at standard rates. There may be the occasional lender whose scorecard the applicant fails for unrelated reasons, but a clean file in this range is comfortable.
At "fair" (Experian 721 to 880, Equifax 439 to 530, TransUnion 604 to 627), lender choice begins to narrow. Some mainstream lenders may decline, particularly if the file shows recent missed payments or high utilisation. Specialist lenders and broker-only products become more important.
At "poor" (Experian 561 to 720, Equifax 0 to 438, TransUnion 566 to 603), mainstream high-street lending is usually out of reach. Adverse-credit specialist lenders (sometimes called "near prime" or "specialist") will lend, but at higher rates and often with higher deposit requirements. A broker who specialises in adverse credit is essential.
At "very poor" (Experian below 561, Equifax very low, TransUnion below 566), the credit file usually shows multiple recent defaults, CCJs, or bankruptcy. Mortgage borrowing is still possible through specialist lenders for borrowers who can demonstrate a clear path of recovery, but the rate and deposit requirement are materially higher.
What an applicant with a marginal score can do
The first step is to obtain the full credit file from each of Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Each agency offers a free statutory credit file. The credit file shows exactly what lenders see, including any data the applicant did not know was on file. Errors should be disputed with the agency immediately; the agency has 28 days to investigate.
The second step is to register on the electoral roll at the current address. Where the applicant has moved frequently, ensuring each address is properly recorded matters; gaps in the electoral roll history reduce scores.
The third step is to reduce credit card balances to below 30 percent of the limit. Paying down high-utilisation cards in the 3 months before the mortgage application can lift the score visibly. Closing unused accounts is normally NOT helpful (it reduces total available credit and increases utilisation on the remaining accounts).
The fourth step is to avoid new credit applications in the 3 to 6 months before the mortgage application. Each hard search costs a few points temporarily; avoiding non-essential applications keeps the score steady.
The fifth step is to use a mortgage broker who can match the applicant's credit profile to a lender's scorecard. Mainstream comparison sites do not show every lender, and certain specialist and intermediary-only lenders only appear through broker channels. A broker who understands which lenders score which credit profiles favourably can save the applicant time and reduce unnecessary hard searches.
How we verified this
The credit score band figures cited are the published bands from Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion as displayed on each agency's UK consumer information pages. The lender behaviour described reflects published policies of UK Finance member lenders, the Financial Conduct Authority's responsible-lending rules in MCOB, and the practical functioning of the credit reference industry under the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Information Commissioner's Office guidance. No specific lender's internal scorecard threshold has been invented; the categorisation is drawn from publicly available product criteria and broker practice.
Disclaimer: This article is general information about credit scoring and UK mortgage lending. It is not personal financial advice. Each lender's criteria are different and change over time. Anyone applying for a mortgage should check their own credit file at the three main UK credit reference agencies and consider taking advice from an FCA-authorised mortgage broker before submitting an application.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum credit score for a mortgage in the UK?
There is no single minimum. Each lender uses its own internal scorecard rather than the consumer-facing Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion score. As a practical guide, a "good" score on each consumer scale (Experian 881+, Equifax 531+, TransUnion 628+) plus a clean credit file (no recent defaults, CCJs, or missed payments) is usually enough for a mainstream high-street mortgage. Specialist adverse-credit lenders work with significantly lower scores at higher rates.
Can I get a mortgage with a bad credit score?
Yes, but lender choice is narrower and rates are higher. Specialist adverse-credit lenders (sometimes called near-prime or specialist) lend to applicants with recent defaults, CCJs, or other adverse markers, typically at higher rates and often with higher deposit requirements. A mortgage broker with experience in adverse credit can identify which specialist lenders match the applicant's profile.
What hurts my credit score most for a mortgage?
Recent missed payments, defaults, and County Court Judgments are the most damaging. Defaults and CCJs stay on the credit file for 6 years from the date they were registered. Multiple hard credit searches in a short period also reduce the score temporarily. Holding credit cards at high utilisation (above about 30 percent of the limit) is a softer negative signal.
Do mortgage lenders use Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion?
Different lenders use different agencies. Some use one, some use two, some use all three. The lender buys the underlying credit data, not the consumer-facing score. An applicant's score on any one agency is therefore a guide to the credit health visible to the lender, but the actual lending decision depends on the lender's own scorecard run against the file data.
How long do defaults and CCJs stay on my credit file?
Defaults stay on the credit file for 6 years from the default date, regardless of whether the debt is later paid. CCJs stay for 6 years from the judgment date; if a CCJ is paid in full within 1 calendar month it can be removed entirely, otherwise satisfied CCJs continue to show as "satisfied" for the rest of the 6 years. After 6 years, the entry drops off automatically.
